China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organise military drills around the island in response to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent visit to Pacific allies…reports Asian Lite News
China sent 14 warships, seven military aircraft and four balloons near Taiwan between Saturday and Sunday, according to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry, as Beijing ramps up pressure on the island it claims as its own.
China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organise military drills around the island in response to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent visit to Pacific allies, including US stops in Hawaii and Guam.
China claims Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy of 23 million people, as its own territory, and bristles at other countries’ formal exchanges with Taiwan. The United States, like most countries, doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country but is its main unofficial backer and sells it arms.
The Chinese government has pledged to annex Taiwan, through military force if necessary, and sends ships and military planes near the island almost daily.
The 14 warships, seven military planes and four balloons were reported over 24 hours between 6 am on Saturday and 6 am on Sunday, according to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry. The ministry said six of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial demarcation zone between Taiwan and China.
One of the balloons brushed over the island’s northern tip, according to the ministry.
Lai on Friday called on China to refrain from threats and said Beijing’s military exercises “will not be able to win the respect” of neighbouring countries.
Lai’s first overseas trip since taking office in May included visits to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three of the 12 countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The rest of the world, including the US, has official ties with China.
Lai’s stops in Hawaii and Guam — from where he had phone calls with US Congress leaders — angered China, which opposes US arms sales and military assistance to Taiwan.
There was widespread speculation China might organize war games around Taiwan in response to the visit, though it was unclear when they might start.
In October, China held drills around Taiwan involving a record one-day total of 153 aircraft, 14 navy vessels and 12 Chinese government ships in response to a Lai speech in which he rejected Beijing’s claims over Taiwan. Beijing has labelled Lai a separatist and refuses to speak to him.
Ma Ying-jeou foundation could face ban
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation could face a ban of six months to five years for inviting Chinese delegations to Taiwan due to its improper handling of an incident involving a Chinese student group.
In a December 1 interview, a member of the group, which was invited by the foundation established by former President Ma Ying-jeou for a nine-day exchange trip, referred to Taiwan’s national baseball team officially known as “Chinese Taipei” as the “China Taipei team” while congratulating them on their victory in the WBSC Premier12 Championship, Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
The comments triggered controversy in Taiwan, with lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) criticizing them as “diminishing Taiwan’s status,” while legislators from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) defended them as a common expression that should be respected.
Liang Wen-chieh , deputy head and spokesperson of the MAC, stated that the delegation might have breached several provisions under Paragraph 1 of Article 16 of the “Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People from the Mainland Area into Taiwan Area,” Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
One of the provisions stipulates that if the inviting organization is found to have hosted “individuals from the Mainland Area whose actions or activities in Taiwan are deemed to pose a significant threat to national security or social stability,” their applications may be denied for a specified period, depending on the severity of the situation.
Liang stated that the MAC will “soon” gather relevant agencies to decide on potential administrative penalties related to the incident, which could include a ban on the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation inviting delegations from China for exchanges for a period ranging from six months to five years, according to CNA report.
Liang stated that “China Taipei” carries a significant political implication that the people of Taiwan cannot accept, adding, “I believe former President Ma Ying-jeou would not have tolerated the term ‘China Taipei’ during his presidency.”
According to Liang, the incident escalated over the past few days, eventually heightening social tensions on the campus of National Tsing Hua University on Wednesday, where some people displayed the national flag of Taiwan, while others held the national flags of China, CNA reported.
Meanwhile, Ma Ying-jeou Foundation CEO Hsiao Hsu-tsen, who bid farewell to the Chinese students at Taoyuan International Airport on Thursday morning, told the press that a five-year penalty imposed by the MAC would not only affect the foundation but also create a chilling effect on other organizations. He urged the MAC to refrain from adopting a “martial law mentality” that would hinder cross-strait exchanges. (ANI)
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